\ 70 .1. \.MKS WATT. 



Society, did not see the Memoir. Sir. Joseph I Janks inusl have 

 L r ivcn il, |o him, since IK- intended il lobe read at the meeting, 

 (/'///'/. 7/7///S. 17-S1, p. .'UK), nole.) Let us add lli;it. ;is the Idler 

 was |)rcscrvc(| in the archives of the Society, il was in chaise 

 of I5la;_'den, I lie. Secretary. Would it lie possible lo sup- 

 pose that, the person whose, hand wrote the remarkable passa-" 



already quoted, relative, to a communication made to Lavoisier, 



in .June, I 7H.'{, of the conclusions thai ( 'avendi h had come l.o, 

 would not have, told Cavendish that, Wai! had come, to Ihose 

 Conclusions at. the. latest in April, 1 7H.'J V The conclusions are. 

 identical, with the. mere. diU'en-nce (hat ('avendish calls de- 

 phlogisticated air water deprived of its pliloj/islon, and thai 

 \Vall aflirms water lo he a union of dephlo<Mstica!ed an 1 and 



phlogiston. 



We. must, remark that, in \\'all.'s theory there is (lie. same 

 uncertainly, the same vagueness, which we have already ob- 

 served in that of Cavendish, and that it . al.-.o pioceedsiVom the 



use of the term phlogiston, which was not, well defined.* In 

 Cavendish we Cannot decide whether phlo"i:-,!on is merely in- 



I .- J 



flammable air, Or whether this chemist is nol. ralhcr inclined 



to consider a combination of water and phlogiston as inflam- 



I r~- 



malile, air. Wall, says expressly, even in his Memoir of the. 

 'JClh Xovembe.r, 1 7H.'{, and in a passage, thai does nol form 

 put of the. April letter in 1 7H.'{, that inflammable .air, accord- 

 ing to hi: ideas, contains a small quantity of water and a, j/rcal 

 deal of clenicnlary heal.. 



These e. \pre.ssious from l.wo such eniineiil, men, i.hoiild be. 

 regarded ;i indicating; a cerlain de^n^e of licMlalion, relative, 

 lo the composition of water. If Wall, and ( !a .vendisli had had 

 a precise, idea that water re. nil.; from the, union of two <jascs 



* In :i note, to hi Mdn'iir ,(' tlic'Jiilli of N'ovrmhrr, \1'~'.', I \,. :!::!), 

 w'; rc:i<l tin- I'ollowiri^ rcrruirU hy Watt: " Anterior to l)r. I'ricst Icy'.H 



(y.|ii'riiiic.nt';, Kirw:i.n ii:i-l provc.'i, by some ingenious deductions her* 



PO "'I from ot.licr f:ict , tlml, infl;iniiii:il.|c :iir i : in :ill |)roli:i hility tlio 

 tnif. plilovi ton in ;ui ;i-ri:il lorni. Kirwiiii's Jircimifiil:: ;ippr;ir lo MM: 

 PCI (My c.oiiviMr.iiic. ; hut il : eeUll mOTfl Mtif.nl.li: to i: :t.:i l.lisli thin point, 

 of the (JIM: lion hy ilircc.t 



